€75,000 budgeted for postage in the planning office for 2009

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

At the adjourned meeting of Mayo County Council on Friday, Fine Gael Councillor Jarlath Munnelly queried the amount being allocated in the budget for postage in the planning office.

Mayo Traveller women remember those who lost their lives to domestic violence

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

On December 10, the final day of the 16 Days of Action opposing violence against women, the Primary Health Care trainees at the Mayo Travellers’ Support Group presented a hand-made collection of 146 flowers at the Linenhall in honour of those women who lost their lives as a result of domestic violence.

Ballintubber Abbey Christmas Mass times

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

Midnight Mass in Ballintubber Abbey at 11pm on Christmas Eve.

Mayo households urged to watch their waste over Christmas

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

The Environmental Protection Agency is urging households in Mayo to stay green this Christmas and recycle their waste. Christmas time produces more waste than any other time of the year, according to the EPA, and this waste can be diverted from landfill if people remember to reduce, reuse and recycle. Households in Mayo recycled 16.7 per cent of their waste according to the most recent data available from the EPA.

Another lonely Christmas looms for undocumented in US

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

The Irish Government have been called on to address the issue of the undocumented Irish in the US with the new US administration.

Increased cost of FÁS training course unacceptable – O’Mahony

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

The prohibitive cost of securing a “ticket” which enables workers drive machines on construction sites is forcing self-employed drivers away from the industry. That is the view of the Mayo Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony, who has called on the minister with responsibility, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan TD to review the pricing structure which has rocketed since the course was taken over by FÁS last year.

Irish Coast Guard safety advice for the Christmas holidays

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

Minister of State Noel Ahern and the Irish Coast Guard have urged members of the public and water users generally to be very careful over the Christmas holidays. The Minister said: “No matter what the water activity is, think safety and obey the basic rules. Remember, check the weather and tides; if conditions are unsuitable, cancel your trip out on the water and stay safe.”

Reinstatement of substitute teacher cover still below the mark

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny TD has been contacted by numerous schools throughout the county in recent weeks regarding the “vicious” education cuts affecting all aspects of education in the county. “Thankfully the Minister for Education, Batt O’Keeffe, has made one U-turn in respect of substitute teacher cover, providing funding of €2 million for primary schools and €2.7 million for secondary schools for this vital service, however, it will still be extremely difficult for schools to work within this system,” said Deputy Kenny.

Tourist charged with careless driving

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

A man from New York who was holidaying in Ireland was convicted of careless driving at Castlebar District Court last Wednesday—the day he was catching his flight back to America.

Visit your family safely this Christmas

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

Winter weather can be a hazard over the festive break, so the IAM (Irish Advanced Motorists) are urging drivers to be extra cautious as they take to the road to visit their loved ones across the country.

Dancehalls, minerals and romance

Tue, Dec 23, 2008

They were great times back then. Sure we had no money but we didn’t need it. There was no mobile phone to pay for, no CDs or DVDs to buy and we were happy if we had clothes that kept us warm. We only drank minerals so there was no money needed for shots or fat frogs. Fat frogs — I kissed enough of them in my time and none of them turned into princes. We didn’t need money for contraceptives either, sure it cost nothing to say no and all that happened back then was a bit of slap and tickle.